Goose ID (1 Viewer)

[streatham]

Hi All,

I'd like to hear comments on this bird. To me this seems to be a pretty standard Ross's Goose but I have no real experience with them. Does anybody have any thoughts on possible hybridization. This question has been raised but I think most CT birders have so little experience with Ross's so it's hard to get useful comments.

Luke

 

[delia todd]

Hi Luke

er .... did you forget something

D

 

[streatham]

Not forgotten as much as too stupid to work out how to attach pictures!

 

[Longspur23]

I agree with you, this looks like a normal Ross's. I have seen both Ross's and Ross's/Snow hybrids and this almost certainly isn't one. Head shape and bill size/shape, along with the lack of a grin patch lead me to believe that this is a typical Ross's.

 

[AlexC]

Just some background info on this bird: Sighted in Westport, CT this past week, found and refound a few times yesterday on the Westport Christmas Bird Count, continuously hanging out with a group of 9-12 Canada Geese. If pure Ross's, this bird is a first in CT! Luke, myself, and pretty much every birder on the count (even those who left their area to see it!) saw this bird, but as Luke said, most CT birders have little to no experience with Ross's.

 

[Larry Lade]

I see Ross's Geese regularly here in mid-continent (Missouri) and I believe this is a Ross's Goose. They appear smaller, more delicate than the more numerous Snow Geese with whom they usually associate as they migrate north and south through Missouri. The short, rather stubby bill, lack of "grinning patch" and apparent small size all point to this being a Ross's and not a hybrid.

 

[B Lagopus]

Edited to say quibble withdrawn, looks good!

 

[Chris Benesh]

Hi All,

I also agree that this looks pretty good for a Ross's. Putative hybrids tend to show some real evident black grin patch (thinner than on Snow though) and tend to have the upper edge of the bill base curving back toward the eye some so that where the bill attaches it is somewhat concave. I don't see any strong evidence of this in these pictures. Do you have any real close-ups of the bill? I mean big blow-ups? That might be useful too.

Here is a useful site for the discussion of hybrids:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/rossgoos.htm

See also the big Sibley. In areas with lots of Ross's and Snow's in the west there is a lot of variability within the mixed flocks, so I suspect that there is a fair bit of uncertainly as to what is variation within each taxon, and what constitutes hybridization. Extralimital birds invite the most scrutiny.

Chris

 

[streatham]

Thanks a lot for all thoughts so far. As Chris says I'm sure if this wasn't an extralimital bird there would be less quibbling but with possible state firsts you obviously want to get it 100% right. Now for the fun part - proving it isn't an escape

Luke

 

[AlexC]

Thanks a lot for all thoughts so far. As Chris says I'm sure if this wasn't an extralimital bird there would be less quibbling but with possible state firsts you obviously want to get it 100% right. Now for the fun part - proving it isn't an escape

Luke

In general, how is this done?

 

[Longspur23]

In general, how is this done?

Well, the first objective would be to make sure that no collectors are missing one in the general area. After that, there really isn't an absolutely definitive way of determing if it is an escape or not, but looking at the plumage is one way. Wild birds will usually have fresh-looking plumage, while an escaped bird will often have worn plumage either from being confined in a small area or because of a poor diet.

There are probably other ways as well, but it can be a very difficult process with questionable birds.

 

[Gentoo]

Ross's is common in California and I agree with the others that this looks like a standard Ross' to me.

 

[Larry Lade]

During the winter of 2001/2002 there was a Smew at Saint Louis, Missouri, near the Mississippi River. We went through the process of trying to determine whether the bird was of wild origin or if it were an escaped bird. Checking with places where Smew were known to be held in captivity, it was decided that none had escaped or been turned loose. That, together with the state of the bird, i.e. plumage condition, etc. led the "powers that be" to say that the bird was, in fact, a wild bird. So, Smew is on my life and Missouri Lists.

*The Smew is on the Official Missouri Checklist as an accidental, winter resident.

 

[streatham]

Hi All,

Just thought I'd post a close up picture of the bill for people's perusal.

Regards,

Luke

 

[Larry Lade]

The proximinal end of the bill does show the characteristic, warty look of a Ross's Goose. I have seen some that have less and some that have more of this. Snow Geese (and I assume hybirds) would not have this warty appearance on their bills.

Also, a perhaps more importantly, the straight line of where the bill meets the face is characteristic of Ross's. Whereas, a hybrid would more curvature in this area. Take a look here and you will notice the difference between the Ross's and the hybrid goose.

 

[Chris Benesh]

Hi Luke,

Thanks for sending along the blow-up of this bird's face. I agree with Larry that this bird still looks good for Ross's. The hybrid goose on the Cornell link does have some bluish, wartiness at the base of the bill, but the culmen itself is pink and smooth all of the way to the base. Your bird shows rough, bluish surface at the base of the culmen, which is a pro-Ross's feature. There does not seem to be any real evident grin patch and a rather straight rear edge to the bill. I bet that the ID of this bird will be accepted. Regarding its status, it would be hard for me to imagine a Ross's Goose being dismissed as an exotic, short of any really hot tip on why it might be. It is a long distance migrant with a pattern of vagrancy in other east coast locales. My prediction is that this will sail through the committee.

Chris